FIR against 16 cops for rape in Bhatta-Parsaul

More than five months after security forces were accused of rape while tackling the agitation against land acquisition in Greater Noida, the police on Monday lodged an FIR against 16 troopers of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC). Stain on khaki

More than five months after security forces were accused of rape while tackling the agitation against land acquisition in Greater Noida, the police on Monday lodged an FIR against 16 troopers of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC).

In May, when the stir began, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi visited Bhatta-Parsaul, the flashpoint of the agitation, and alleged the police had burned farmers alive and raped women.

On September 15, on a woman’s complaint, chief judicial magistrate (CJM) Vipin Sharma asked the Dankaur police station SHO, under whose jurisdiction Bhatta-Parsaul falls, to register an FIR against the 16 PAC men, including its commandant.

A UP court on October 10 dismissed a police petition challenging the CJM’s order. The police then took the issue to the Allahabad high court, which also dismissed it.

The matter came back to the CJM court on Monday as scheduled and the police had no option but to lodge the case.

The Dankaur SHO confirmed the FIR on Monday night.

The UP police had been protesting the CJM's order on the grounds that a probe by the crime branch-criminal investigation department into the allegations was on and no parallel investigation was required.

Meanwhile, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has said it may initiate contempt proceedings against the UP government if it fails to get an FIR registered against the policemen. "If the state government fails to get an FIR registered in the case, the NCSC will initiate contempt proceedings," said NCSC chairman PL Punia while speaking to HT on the phone.